Traveller tribes

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Future Traveller Tribes 2020 Report for the Air Travel Industry Developed by Henley Centre HeadlightVision in partnership with Amadeus

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Transcript of Traveller tribes

Page 1: Traveller tribes

Future Traveller Tribes

2020

Report for the Air Travel IndustryDeveloped by Henley Centre HeadlightVision

in partnership with Amadeus

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Content

1. Foreword from Amadeus 1

2. Our approach: introduction to the report & development 2

3. Executive summary 4

4. Key trends impacting the future of travel 6

> Contextual trends 6

>> Critical uncertainties 8

> Consumer trends 10

5. Travel technology evolution 12

> Trusted digital personal identities 14

> Integrated information systems 15

> Access to real time, geo-relevant information 16

> New communication technologies 17

> Additional technology innovations 18

6. Four future traveller tribes 19

> Active Seniors 20

> Global Clans 24

> Cosmopolitan Commuters 28

> Global Executives 32

7. Conclusions 36

8. Appendices 37

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Traveller Tribes �

War, pestilence, record debts and sky-high oil prices – it seems

that nothing can extinguish man’s desire to travel to lands near

or far, to look a distant customer in the eye or to stretch out on a

far-off beach with a good book. Similarly, the trials of the past few

years have served only to demonstrate the agility and creativity

of the travel industry. With each new challenge comes a new

service, an unexpected business model, a new way of working or a

technological innovation.

The surest way to navigate this turmoil of transformation is to stay

focused on your customer. In the case of the travel industry, that

customer is someone who travels, a traveller. And as travel becomes

cheaper, and people become richer, the word “traveller” represents

an ever-growing variety of people, cultures, needs, expectations,

aspirations and lifestyles.

This report is an attempt to understand how demographic,

geographic and political trends might shape travellers of the future.

It is intended to stimulate debate about what the future holds for

the travel industry and where opportunities might lie. Forecasting

experts were employed to identify and segment groups – or tribes

– of traveller; four groups in particular were singled out for further

analysis. Experts from the airline industry kindly devoted their time

and considerable intelligence to help us tease out the practical

implications of these emerging types of traveller.

Because we are Amadeus, and that is what we do, we also looked at

the implications for technology. Whilst some of the technological

insights are new, others are already in use but will grow in

importance in the future. In particular, we believe that technology

must help travellers interact more intuitively with their providers

something we call the “humanisation of technology”.

We hope you enjoy the report. And we hope it begins a conversation

across the industry about how we’ll all be travelling in the future.

Frédéric Spagnou Vice-President, Airline Business Group, Amadeus

www.amadeus.com

A foreword to the Future Traveller Tribes

1 Foreword

What will the travellers of the future look like?

How will their needs change?

What will travel providers need to do to secure customer loyalty?

How can technology enhance the customer experience?

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� Traveller Tribes

The number and variety of people who travel has risen sharply over

the past few decades. As affluence rises and travel becomes more

accessible, travellers in the first years of the 21st century are now

more diverse than ever.

This report introduces four traveller tribes which social, economic

and demographic trends indicate will increase in importance

significantly over the next 15 years. These tribes do not represent a

complete map of future travellers; they have been chosen because

their distinct needs highlight opportunities and issues that will be

presented to travel providers.

Communication technologies, distribution systems, sensing and

identification technologies continue to advance. Harnessed well,

they will enable travel providers to deliver a more efficient, seamless

and engaging experience at all stages of customers’ journeys, at

booking, check-in, in-flight and baggage collection.

In some cases, the future is already here. Much of the technology

in this report already exists, although it is not necessarily yet used

as described. Similarly, people fitting the description of these

four tribes are already travelling. However, they are worthy of

consideration because our research indicates that these tribes will

have grown significantly by 2020, and because services that fulfil

their needs may be applied to improve the travel experience for

everyone.

Introduction to this reportFour tribes of future travellers are introduced in this report together with a description of trends fuelling their emergence and technology that could enhance travel experience from booking to arrivals.

2 Our approach

How we developed the reportThis report was developed by Henley Centre HeadlightVision in partnership with Amadeus and draws on the experience of experts from within and beyond the travel industry.

How we developed our thinking

A range of methods and sources went into the identification and

development of these future traveller tribes and the technologies

that will enhance their journey from booking to arrivals and beyond.

Henley Centre HeadlightVision carried out initial desk research to

generate insight about air traveller tribes of the future. Sources

included:

> Henley Centre HeadlightVision’s proprietary global knowledge

including:

> The Global Energies, global trends in consumer and brand

behaviour, and

> HenleyWorld, a survey of consumer attitudes across 14 countries

representing over 70% of global GDP.

> A variety of external sources including the World Trade

Organisation, United Nations, Organisation for Economic Co-

operation and Development , World Bank, Official Airline Guide

and the Association of National Tourist Office Representatives.

Final sources are at Appendix 1.

Workshops and interviews with Amadeus, airline representatives

and other travel technology industry experts were facilitated by

Henley Centre HeadlightVision to validate the tribes and to generate

technology ideas of specific relevance to each tribe. Final technology

ideas were finessed by Amadeus technology experts.

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Traveller Tribes �

About Henley Centre HeadlightVision

Henley Centre HeadlightVision (HCHLV) is a strategic futures

and marketing consultancy. It specialises in helping clients to

understand the trends impacting on their future operating

environments so that they can apply this knowledge to strategic

planning that maximises the potential of their businesses, brands

and organisations into the future.

HCHLV has a global footprint, with offices in London, New York,

Delhi, Mumbai and Beijing. Its proprietary trends intelligence is

gathered globally via its quantitative research partners in 14

countries and qualitatively using a network of ‘Streetscapers’ who

operate in 40 cities across 5 continents, continually scanning their

cities for evidence of fresh trends.

Henley Centre HeadlightVision is increasingly acknowledged as a

centre of best practice in the area of strategic futures and scenario

planning. HCHLV has developed a wide range of scenarios and other

futures-oriented tools for clients in both the public and private

sector, including government departments. Further information may

be found at www.hchlv.com.

About Amadeus

A world-leading technology and distribution solutions provider,

Amadeus delivers unparalleled expertise to the travel and tourism

industry, including leading-edge solutions that cover airlines’ unique

business needs, independent of their size, business model or market

reach.

Amadeus’ pioneering new-generation Customer Management

Solution (CMS) portfolio, Amadeus Altéa CMS, serves network

and regional carriers. The Altéa portfolio, based on a pioneering

community platform concept, enables improved operational

efficiency and increases revenue. The portfolio consists of the Altéa

Reservation, Altéa Inventory and Altéa Departure Control solutions.

Low cost carriers also have a specific CMS - based on adaptive

technology and already used by carriers in Europe and the USA-

that provides robust options that easily adjust to their evolving

operational requirements.

Further complementing these integrated IT solutions is the

Amadeus e-Travel Airline Suite. Over 70 of the world’s leading

airlines use the Amadeus e-Travel Airline Suite to power over 250

websites in more than 80 markets.

Other standalone IT solutions include amongst others: Amadeus

Revenue Integrity solution, Amadeus Ticket Changer, an automatic

ticket reissue tool, and a full range of ticketing solutions; including

e-ticket interlining and ground-handling management technology

services.

More information about Amadeus’ solutions for airlines is available

at: www.amadeus.com/airlines.

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� Traveller Tribes

Key trends

The growth in international travel will continue to rise as the

globalisation of business and growing migration fuel the need

to travel abroad, and rising consumer affluence coupled with a

reduction in the cost of travel brings it into the reach of more

people. However, a number of critical uncertainties, such as growing

concern about environmental issues and the rising price of oil, may

apply brakes to this trend.

Key technology conclusions

The travellers of tomorrow will demand higher levels of control,

comfort, security and personalisation from the travel experience,

and the growing sophistication of Information Technology will

underpin travel providers’ ability to deliver to these expectations,

transforming the customer experience from booking to baggage

collection.

Over the coming ten to fifteen years, the following three key

areas of technological development have been identified, which

will facilitate a more traveller-centric travel experience. Digital

personal identities based on easily accessible, up-to-date customer

information will make the provision of personalised service

accessible to many travel providers. An ability to offer travellers

up-to-date, real time information when and where they need it via

new communication technologies(such as mobile personal devices

and the internet) has the potential to transform and streamline the

journey. Finally, the way in which customers are interacting with

technology is developing, and the increasing use of social computing

and the growing sophistication of visual technologies may be

harnessed to improve the travel experience.

For the first time, Future Traveller Tribes 2020 has identified the

major demographic, geopolitical, economic and technology trends

that will determine who will be travelling in the future, which

groups will potentially be most dominant and what their individual

needs will be. Amadeus and Henley Centre HeadlightVision have

produced this report to stimulate discussion about how technology

can be harnessed to deliver even greater levels of service to travellers

in the future.

Four tribes of future travellers have been defined, and relevant

technology innovations identified. One of the most significant

developments is the “humanisation of technology”, a trend which

will see a breakthrough in IT systems and other communications

technologies to enable the delivery of highly personalised,

streamlined and flexible journeys. The report findings have been

developed through a process of research, workshops and interviews

with experts from Amadeus, the travel and the technology

industries.

3 Executive summary

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The tribes

The four tribes presented in this report do not represent a

comprehensive segmentation of future travellers, but they have

been selected for discussion from a wealth of potential groups

because social, economic and demographic trends indicate that they

will be significant in number in the future, and because they present

the most interesting challenges to travel providers.

Active Seniors will be aged between 50 and 75 in 2020. As the

global population ages, there will be an unprecedented number of

older people travelling. With advances in science and medicine, this

group will be healthier and more active than previous generations

of the same age, and with higher disposable incomes, many will

be taking holidays and short breaks to relax and enjoy the freedom

of retirement. The physical needs of this group will undoubtedly

provide a unique set of challenges for travel providers, as will their

demand for a greater understanding of personal health needs by

service providers.

Global Clans reflect the growth in global migration and the

resulting increase in the number of individuals and groups travelling

internationally to visit friends and family for holidays or to re-

connect. For many, booking and price considerations will be key, but

with more families travelling together, a significant challenge will

be meeting the needs of young children, parents, grandparents and

even great grandparents travelling together.

Cosmopolitan Commuters are the group of individuals who will be

living and working in different regions, taking advantage of falling

travel costs and flexible work styles to improve their quality of life.

Time pressured commuters will wish to extract maximum value out

of their time spent travelling, and hence convenience of booking,

speed of check in and security will be high on their list of needs. In

addition, the ability to facilitate work on the go and provide access

to technology throughout the journey will be a key requirement of

travel providers for this group. Eco-consciousness will become more

important as companies and individuals work to become carbon-

neutral.

Global Executives represent the most affluent of the four traveller

tribes, and comprise senior executives of companies with

international interests travelling in premium class, increasingly by

air-taxi or private jet. Expectations of the service provided at all

journey points will be high from individuals used to premium, luxury

experiences. There will be an expectation of highly personalised

service that meets and even pre-empts their needs. A streamlined

and time efficient journey will be paramount, as will the desire to

both work and relax.

This report is not intended to present a definitive vision of what the

future holds, but we hope to be able to help travel providers develop

a new perspective on the likely travellers of the future and their

possible needs. The development and utilisation of technology will

be central to this, and the gradual humanisation of technology will

serve to enhance and support more intuitive customer interaction

and facilitate a superior travel experience.

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� Traveller Tribes

Contextual Trends

Growth in global migration. Growing global migration will fuel

thirst for international travel. Many migrants remain strongly

connected to their country of origin with many reasons to return,

such as visiting family and friends. The proportion of people

choosing to leave their country of birth is growing globally:

according to the UN, there are currently more than 180 million

international migrants; this figure is expected to reach 250 million

by 2050�. Current flows show that migration to Northern America

(the US and Canada), Europe and Oceania (New Zealand and

Australia) is most popular, with migrants most likely to hail from

Asia, Latin America/Caribbean and Africa.

Globalisation of travel and tourism. The last five decades have

seen tourism emerge as one of the world’s largest and most vital

industries. The World Trade Organisation predicts that international

tourism arrivals alone will number over 1.56 billion by 2020, with

average annual growth rates in Asia and the Middle East forecasted

to be over 6% between 1995 and 2020�.

Rising affluence. The growth in tourism is driven in large part by

rising consumer affluence. As people’s material needs are fulfilled,

their focus turns to enjoying experiences. Household disposable

income in Western Europe has grown substantially in the last

decade, but it is the emergence of an increasingly well-off middle

class in the emerging BRIC (Brazil, Russia, India, China) economies

that is likely to have the most substantial impact on global travel in

the future. For example, 40% of the population in China is expected

to be middle class (household income of between US$18,137

and US$36,275 a year) in 2020 under current economic growth

conditions�.

Growth in global travel predicted. For these, and other reasons, a

variety of sources predict growth in global travel. For example, the

global consumer and media market research agency Mintel predicts

that the total number of overseas trips taken by tourists from the

world’s top 15 travelling nations will almost double by 2020 from

433 million to 837 million�. The greatest expected growth between

2010 and 2015 is expected to be in China (9.9%)7.

Burgeoning global population. The world population is growing:

estimates from the United Nations suggest it will increase to almost

8 billion people by 2025, an increase of about 1.5 billion from 2005�.

Globalisation of business. The rapid growth in world trade has led

to increasing cross border traffic in goods, services, and capital.

According to the National Intelligence Council in the US, the world

economy is likely to continue growing on account of world trade; it

is projected to be 80% larger in 2020 than it was in 2000�.

This globalisation of business and politics has driven a growing

need for international travel to cement and manage international

agreements and alliances. The liberalisation of world trade has also

brought with it a number of social changes; as countries interact,

it is not only goods and services which are traded but culture, ideas

and patterns of behaviour.

4 Key trends impacting the future of travel

© Dreamtime.com/Brookhouse

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The impact of Low Cost Carriers (LCCs) on consumer behaviour. LCCs

have redrawn the air travel landscape. They have opened travel to

groups that could not previously afford it. By using regional airports,

LCCs have also started to compete with traditional rail networks in

many markets. Certainly in developed countries, international travel

is no longer reserved for the rich, and it is increasingly viewed as a

right rather than a luxury.

LCCs have enabled businesses to significantly cut the costs of

international travel and facilitate more face-to-face meetings. Many

businesses have formalised cost-cutting measures which demand

that employees travel within limited budgets.

Although the impact of LCCs has traditionally been limited to short-

haul routes, they look set to extend into longer-haul journeys, with

a more extensive service, offering greater comfort than is currently

offered on existing short-haul itineraries.

New aircraft developments. Aircraft design is evolving in ways that

will change the customer’s journey. For example, larger aircraft will

allow greater passenger comfort, small aircraft will give greater

flexibility on routes, and more efficient technologies will enable

airlines to fly cleaner, quieter and further.

The 555 passenger, two-tier Airbus A380 has 49% more floor space

yet only 35% more seating than the previous largest aircraft, so

seats and aisles can be wider and passengers more comfortable8.

The A380 can fly 10% to 15% further than previous aircraft, enabling

longer non-stop journeys, and produces fewer emissions and less

noise9.

The striking growth predicted in global travel will continue over the next decade, driven by a range of social, cultural,

political and economic forces.

At the same time, smaller aircraft are expected to open up travel to

new, smaller airports. For example new VLJ (Very Light Jet) models

have increasingly long ranges and can take off from shorter runways,

allowing them to operate from more airports. In the US, NASA

envisages the use of VLJs as a point-to-point air taxi service�0, which

will become more accessible as operating costs and prices fall, driven

by high utilisation and efficient turnaround rates together with

innovations in scheduling, which will allow individual seats to be

booked, rather than the whole aircraft��.

Technological innovations are also enabling aircraft to become

more fuel efficient. According to the International Air Transport

Association (IATA), new aircraft are 70% more efficient than 40 years

ago and 20% better than a decade ago��. The industry is aiming to

increase fuel efficiency by an additional 50% by 2020��.

Furthermore, the boundaries of travel are continually being pushed,

with the first sub-orbital space tourism flights planned for 2009��.

Resulting innovations could have implications for the airline industry,

such as the development of composite materials that could be

used to construct aircraft in the future, and the development of

environmentally ‘cleaner’ bio fuels��.

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8 Traveller Tribes

Critical uncertainties

Rising cost of oil. Increased energy demand from rapidly developing

economies such as China and India has pushed up primary energy

prices. No new major oil fields have been found since 1976, with

some commentators suggesting that peak oil production will be

passed within the next few years. At the same time, world demand

for crude oil is growing - from 78 million barrels per day in 2002 to

84 million barrels a day in 2005�0. China is predicted to consume

nearly as much oil as US by 2020��. With demand set to reach 103

million barrels per day in 2015 and to over 119 million barrels per

day in 2025, the future is likely to be one of continuing high prices��.

Nevertheless, consumers have proved resilient to increasing fuel

surcharges in the past few years, with air travel continuing to grow

despite these extra costs to travellers.

Climate of fear. The modern world has seen the rise of the anxious

consumer. People are more aware of a variety of global and local

threats and issues, with information distributed by a global media

keen to grab audience attention. Many believe life is becoming

less safe – HenleyWorld 2006 found that 41% of respondents

interviewed globally agreed that ‘I personally feel less safe and

secure than I did a year ago’��.

Growth of air travel could be impacted by other critical uncertainties.

Evolution of technology may reduce travel costs. The requirements

of travellers and consequent complexity of information

management will grow exponentially. As volumes of data and

transactions grow, unit costs will need to be reduced to keep

technology affordable to travel providers.

This is likely to be achieved in two ways. Firstly, economies of scale

will lower unit costs as volumes of data and transactions increase.

Secondly, the cost of processing power is predicted to fall, at least

until 2013. Between 2006 and 2012, the cost of processing power is

anticipated to fall sixteen-fold.

However, the most significant and influential factors impacting

information management will be the development of efficient

information systems architecture, the use of commodity hardware,

open source software and the public internet as a communication

network. Leveraging these items will allow travel providers to afford

information management technologies and as a consequence,

help them to offer better prices and more comfortable and secure

journeys to travellers.

© istockphoto.com/Andrew Penner

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Key fears that may impact global travel include concerns over global

instability driven by international political issues and terrorism.

These may further impact travel by creating the need for additional

security measures, visa regulations and entry controls.

Fear of the spread of global pandemics (bird flu, SARS), which have

recently been a focus of global media attention, may also impact

international travel.

Impact of new communication technology. New communication

technology offers an alternative to international travel but meetings

conducted via this channel are currently perceived as a poor

substitute for face-to-face contact. This may change if trends such

as the rising need for cost-efficiency and concerns regarding global

instability and air travel security converge.

On the other hand, as people become more reliant on new

communication technologies, they increasingly want such

technologies to be available throughout their journey. The ‘always-

on’ culture means that customers want to remain connected at all

times, whether through wi-fi, mobile telephony or satellite.

As a consequence, some airlines are preparing their environmental

credentials. Strategies range from reducing emissions via newer

planes, to investigating green technologies, to offering travellers

the opportunity to offset their emissions by making donations to

environmental charities.

In addition there is a significant growth in environmental

consumerism – the green shift. Consumers are becoming more

aware of and concerned about ethical and environmental issues,

and they are increasingly likely to take action. HenleyWorld 2006

found that 26% of consumers globally have reported that they have

stopped buying from companies that may damage the environment,

with figures particularly high in Spain (47%), Italy (42%) and

Germany (38%)�8.

As people become more aware of the impacts of climate change,

there is a possibility that some may voluntarily avoid air travel in

order to reduce their carbon footprints. However, in other categories,

‘ethical’ consumption behaviour is not necessarily consistent with

ethical attitudes, and it appears that many consumers will typically

take the ethical option only when it is easily accessible, involves no

loss of benefits, and does not come at increased personal cost. Thus

while a minority of consumers may drop out of the air travel market

in favour of greener options, many are likely to continue. This does

not mean that environmental issues will be entirely disregarded:

HenleyWorld 2006 found that 65% of consumers interviewed

globally claimed that they would always choose the ethical option if

the price of two products is the same�9.

Consequently, environmental and sustainable technologies are

becoming increasingly prioritised, not only to reduce carbon

emissions but also as strategic investments for a resource-

constrained future. Greener fuel mixes and greater fuel efficiency

may ultimately reduce the pressure for a brake on air travel uptake

on environmental grounds. Similarly, methods for carbon capture

and storage may be developed which help to stabilise atmospheric

CO2

concentrations at broadly acceptable levels. However, such

technologies are not likely to have an impact for at least ten years

and it would require concerted action by governments, businesses

and individuals to ensure their success.

Growing awareness of carbon emissions and environmental impacts. Concerns are heightening that the earth’s climate is

changing, with temperatures being pushed up by man-made carbon

emissions. The scientific community is broadly in agreement about

the severity of the consequences, which range from the extinction

of species to a growth in freak weather events. More recently,

forecasters calculating the global economic consequences of a rise

in carbon emissions at a rate driven by ‘business as usual’ have

added fuel to the debate��.

Though it is yet to be agreed where responsibility for action lies,

businesses in many sectors are already experiencing pressure to

address their environmental ‘duties’, both from above, through

international agreements and national legislation, and from below,

as a result of civil society action.

Air travel is a particular target as it stands accused of being the

fastest-growing cause of carbon emissions�7. Already, some

European governments are considering the development of

legislation aimed at reducing carbon emissions such as taxing

aircrafts or even introducing carbon emission allowances for

individuals which would force them to prioritise their energy

consumption and engage in carbon trading schemes.

Environmental concerns and sustainability issues could condition the growth of global travel.

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�0 Traveller Tribes

Consumer Trends

Changing spending patterns – trading up. Aspirations and

spending patterns in the developed world are evolving. Increasing

affluence and the media’s preoccupation with wealth, fame and

celebrity means that aspirations and expectations are rising. The

democratisation of luxury has led many consumers to expect

premium service at affordable prices.

Search for health and wellbeing. Changing global wellbeing will

impact motivations for travel and traveller needs. People crave

wellbeing in an increasingly time and energy deficient culture - 43%

of consumers interviewed globally for HenleyWorld 2006 agree ‘I am

constantly trying to improve my health’ �7. Leisure time has become a

key opportunity to enhance wellbeing and find sense and escape in

increasingly complex and hectic lives.

A likely growth in medical tourism has been predicted, driven by

consumers’ desires to avoid long waiting lists or to get access to

procedures that are, relative to one’s home country, free, cheaper, or

legal (e.g. some fertility treatments are illegal in many countries),

or which require advanced care that is not available in one’s own

country. According to a study by the Confederation of Indian

Industry and McKinsey, medical tourism in India alone could be

worth as much as $ 2.3 billion by 2012�8.

Ageing populations. By 2020, the world population aged 65 and

above will have trebled from its present number to 700 million

people�� - one in four Japanese, one in five German, French and

British citizens, and one in six Americans, Canadians, Australians

and New Zealanders will be aged 65 or over��. In many developed

nations, falling birth rates and rising life expectancy means that

older people account for an increasing proportion of the total

population. In Europe and Japan, the population is ageing rapidly;

Japan is the first country in the world where half the population is

over forty, and the UK will join them within a decade. At the same

time, this ageing generation is healthier and fitter than ever before,

and – at least for the moment - wealthier.

Changing spending patterns – bargain-hunting. There has also been

a rise in people who are willing to ‘trade down’ in their purchases,

looking for the cheaper option and even sacrificing quality or certain

benefits for a lower price. HenleyWorld 2006 found that more than

50% of respondents interviewed globally agreed that ‘I look for the

lowest possible prices when I go shopping’ ��.

This has led to a growth in bargain-hunting travellers (often, but not

exclusively, the young) who are willing to forego more sophisticated

add-ons for a cheaper price. Internet technology is the driver of this

trend as it gives access to increased offer and price transparency.

Future travellers will be more sophisticated, knowledgeable and demanding. Affluence,

education and choice will raise expectations.

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Desire for personalisation. The rise of empowered and affluent

consumers in the West, and the rise of individualism, has created a

culture of huge consumer choice. Customised solutions and demand

for personalised products and services are increasingly challenging

the ‘one size fits all’ mentality as a growing number of consumers

in developed markets demand solutions tailored to fit their needs

rather than a mass market solution. Technology is making it much

easier to deliver this personalisation, and as it becomes more

sophisticated consumers’ demands are likely to evolve accordingly.

Sustainable tourism. Travelling responsibly means leaving the

world a better place even as we enjoy local cultures. More and more

travellers are seeking responsible tourism, aimed at supporting

the sustained development of local cultures and protection of the

environment. There is a significant growth in travel providers re-

thinking tourism so that it offers travellers the authentic experience

while at the same time fosters benefits for the local people and their

environment.

Modal lives. Multiplying demands and opportunities mean that

modern consumers lead modal lives. The same person will occupy

a number of roles within their everyday lives, and with these roles

come different needs and demands. For example, an individual will

have a number of different travel needs at different times. Many

will be exposed to different travel experiences that will impact their

expectations and aspirations, for example those used to travelling

business class on company missions may opt to travel economy class

for leisure.

Experience economy. Modern consumers want to live life to the

full. As levels of affluence climb, consumers’ material needs are

increasingly being fulfilled. 58% of consumers across Europe and

the US agree ‘I have all the material things I need’�9. With these

needs satisfied, consumers’ interests have turned elsewhere

- increasingly they value experiences over possessions, both for

enjoyment and to define who they are. Experiences such as travel,

hold greater kudos than material goods and have become the new

way to express status.

Solo business trips

Weekend breaks with

partner

Family holiday

Holidays to see

extended family

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�� Traveller Tribes

Humanisation of technology. An Information Technology

perspective of what the future holds often presents a science-

fiction vision: one that is seamlessly efficient but, at times, cold.

In an era when travellers want more control, comfort, security

and personalisation, there is a real opportunity for technology to

deliver something else – an engaging, human-centric interface

with customers. Technology is becoming available that can identify

and intuitively respond to people’s individual needs, and this

humanisation of technology will underpin the ability of travel

providers to deliver exceptional customer experience in the future.

It is also about converting travel into a simple and hassle-free

experience. Today’s travel industry is built and structured around

experienced travellers. With a growth in travel predicted, and the

continued globalisation of travel and tourism, the travel experience

would benefit from being built around simpler and more friendly

processes.

For example, a business traveller running late for his flight would

appreciate being able to quickly reschedule onto the next available

flight. If a child is flying unaccompanied, parents will want to know

he is well. If a tourist is nervous about finding his way through a

foreign airport, he needs to be able to find guidance. The ability

to deliver such benefits and make the humanisation of travel

technology possible already exists.

Key areas of technology development. With this human-centric

focus in mind, we expect that there will be four main areas of focus

for technology development:

> Digital personal identities (detailed customer information held

digitally and therefore easily and quickly accessible), which will

enable a far more personalised service;

> Integrated Information systems that combine information from a

variety of sources;

> Real-time information delivered to individuals based on need and

location;

> Increased customer interaction through social computing. We

also expect to see a rising level of visual information technologies

become cheaper and more sophisticated.

Supporting these technological developments is the continuing

evolution of processing power which will enable mobile

communication devices to become even more sophisticated.

Introduction

5 Travel Technology Evolution

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Development of open systems architecture and web-based

applications empowers travel providers to place the customer at the

heart of all systems.

Of course, many of these technologies currently exist or are already

under development. However, in the future we expect them to

emerge as mainstream and ubiquitous, although technology

adoption will vary by region and carrier segment.

Transforming the customer experience from booking to baggage collection. Developments in each of these four areas of technology

will have a profound effect upon the customer journey at all four

key stages: booking, check-in, in-flight and baggage collection.

Thoughts about these innovations are detailed in this report, with

those innovations that are specifically relevant to a particular tribe

also described in the Tribe section of this report.

Current and new technologies with a human-centric focus will be deployed by travel

providers to optimise travellers’ journeys.

What is needed to make the vision happen. At the heart of the

humanisation revolution is each traveller’s sophisticated digital

identity, which would be capable of flexibly interfacing with the

systems that control the travel process at all stages of the journey.

However, this will only be possible if the multitude of IT systems

that are operated by travel providers including airlines and airports

can be integrated to the degree that they ‘speak a common

language’.

Critically, these future technologies must also provide an

infrastructure that is cost efficient to implement and manage, as the

commercial pressures on the travel industry will only intensify.

This humanisation of technology offers the travel industry great

opportunities to strengthen customer relationships as they prepare

for the future. By deploying integrated and intelligent systems that

are developed to serve customers’ needs as they journey, travel

providers will be able to develop services that improve customers’

travel experiences.

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Trusted Digital Personal Identities

In the next few years

Tailored services and loyalty programmes. The ability to store

detailed passenger information will allow travel providers to

tailor the services they provide to the individual at all stages

of the journey. As the customer stands at the check-in, or

attempts to make changes to travel plans, fast, intelligent

database analysis will enable an instant and accurate

understanding of the current and potential future value of

each passenger. Travel providers can then tailor their services

and build customer relationships accordingly.

Personalised destination information. As customer

information systems become more sophisticated and based

around the individual, travel providers will be able to ensure

that travellers receive personalised health information, details

of leisure pursuits and other information that will enhance

their journey.

Portable access to digital identities. Easy customer recognition

via devices giving access to personal details – a credit-card

sized ID, or even on a SIM card or a mobile device itself,

containing information such as biometric details and travel

itinerary, visa status and a PNR (Passenger Name Record – an

electronic record where passenger and travel data is stored)

chip. This will enable passengers to feel in control, and travel

companies to streamline and personalise customers’ journeys.

Processing of bookings online through secure exchange of

data between trusted travel partner websites will be enabled;

and security clearance and access to pre-purchased services

will be faster and more convenient.

New technologies will enable future travellers to be instantly recognised making

the customer journey a seamless experience.

In the long term

Ultimate biometric identification. The development of

biometrics will create the ‘journey of our dreams’ by utilising

less obtrusive security practices. By using camera technology,

airports will be able to scan crowds and recognise all travellers,

eliminating the need for exhaustive check-in procedures.

Digital memories management. Massive storage and indexing

technology will allow travellers to recall what they did on trips

in the past, allowing them to repeat past experiences.

Integrated hand-held devices. Combined ‘chip-and-go’

passport and multiple PNR devices will not only allow

passengers to move through the various stages of their

journey quickly using swipe ‘master security cards’ at

different points or terminals: the same card may in future be

used to unlock car rentals and check into pre-booked hotel

rooms.

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Integrated Information Systems

In the next few years

Generalised online & offline merchandising. Boosted by new

technologies which offer more choice and personalisation,

travel sales will adopt the high street retailer approach and

unbundle the traditional package of travel services. This will be

reflected in proactive up-selling, calendar displays, e-vouchers

and e-services developed depending on travellers’ profiles.

‘Natural shopping’ for travel. Travel will be bought and sold

as a commodity. Integrated technologies will allow sales to be

pushed out to potential travellers e.g. at regular stores. The

development of mobile payment systems will facilitate easier

and more spontaneous shopping for travel. High street retail

outlets may start to offer travel ‘packages’ that people can buy

in the way they buy vouchers today.

Digital concierge. Through the integration of advanced

information systems, travellers will be offered a single point

of contact - either via the telephone or web - that will enable

them to deal with any travel-related query relating to any part

of their journey.

Integrated systems that combine information from a variety of sources will enable travel providers to tempt customers with far

more accessible and sophisticated offers delivered seamlessly.

In the long term

Integrated airport and airline systems. Multiple systems

‘speaking the same language’ may connect airport and

airline operations allowing speedy passage through airports,

including painless check-in, free of delays caused by security

checks.

Integrated consumer-facing sales systems. Integrated sales

systems will expand the ability of travel companies to cross-

sell travel and ancillary services to passengers including local

transport connections such as bus, train or underground

passes. It could also include recommending sales promotions

at travel hubs or local cultural events. Combined with

knowledge of customer history, needs, location and

preferences, this will enable a powerfully personalised offer to

be presented to the traveller who can access and modify his

plans at any point of the journey.

It will also allow for increased m-commerce, for which data

service technology is used (via mobile telephony) to purchase

goods/services.

Automated expenses payments. Increasingly, back-office

systems will be fully integrated with payment systems which

will mean that all business expenses will be recorded and

reimbursed automatically and in real-time.

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Access to Real Time, Geo-relevant Information

In the next few years

Mobile data service technology. Using mobile telephony, real-

time journey management means travellers will be proactively

informed of information relating to their journey such as

boarding slots, delays, etc. Family or people waiting to meet

them could also be notified in case of delay. With the onset of

3G and the ubiquity of Flash applications, customers will be

able to access information on mobile devices in the same way

they currently do on their personal computers.

Flexible journey management. Technology enabling travel

disruption management will allow journeys to be seamlessly

rescheduled. Digital alter egos, i.e. a traveller’s online double,

will allow travel plans to be managed remotely in real-time.

For example, customers on delayed flights will be given real-

time updates about potential connecting flights so they can

re-book their onward travel arrangements whilst still in the air.

Or, for example, if a customer’s meeting is running late,

they will be able to remotely change their travel plans and

reschedule flights.

Mobile communication, global positioning systems (GPS) and radio frequency identification (RFID) will drive the growth of

real-time and geographically relevant information.

In the long term

Geo-localisation technology. GPS, RFID and sensing

technologies will allow providers to locate their customers and

send them relevant location-specific content. This may include

information specifically relevant to their journey, for example,

geo-localising maps that guide people to a specific point in

a travel hub, or more general content that will help them to

make the most of their environment as they travel, such as

shops of interest in their immediate location.

Tracking technologies for people and baggage. GPS and RFID

technologies embedded in mobile devices or PNRs will enable

the tracking of travellers and their baggage through their

journey.

Travel providers will be able to anticipate the arrival of VIP

travellers or monitor the progress of frail or vulnerable

travellers who may need special assistance.

Passenger volumes through travel hubs will be better

managed as RFID sensors will be able to measure flow through

the airport, enabling people to be directed to secondary routes,

reducing queue times.

RFID tagged baggage may be collected from a passenger’s

address before the flight and be waiting when they arrive

at their hotel/home (advanced sensing technologies that

can identify harmful substances in baggage would address

security issues).

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New Communication Technologies

In the next few years

Virtual reality and gaming technologies. Simulations from

gaming/virtual reality technologies will enable passengers

to experience the travel process, flight experience or cultural

aspects of their destinations.

A more visual culture will allow travellers to see and

experience a travel destination prior to purchase. The ongoing

rise of popular on-line community sites like YouTube* will

raise expectations of visual content even further.

* YouTube is a popular free website which lets users upload, view

and share video clips.

24/7 technology connections. Access to internet whilst on-

flight or at the airport through mobile devices and/or wi-fi

will enable continued communication throughout the journey

allowing business travellers to continue working as if they

were in the office.

Near Field Communication. Short range communication will

allow quick and secure identification and confirmation for

payments.

Advances in media technologies will impact the channels through which travellers can access

information, and what content is available.

In the long term

Interactive audiovisual technologies. High definition 3-D

glasses or large TV screens and touch-screen technologies

linked to personal identity and location for personalisation of

information will become more prevalent.

Advanced self-service kiosks. New generation kiosks will

be linked to digital identity, allowing check-in, itinerary

changes and airport navigation prompts (via geo-localisation

technology).

Cognitive computing will enable customers’ emotions to be

interpreted and a relevant response delivered.

Language technologies. Travellers will have the option to use

speech requests in place of touch screens, and there will be

much greater use of voice recognition technology, semantic

translation and avatars to consult and ask questions. In

another 15-30 years, humanoid self-service kiosks will take

this trend further.

Wearable technologies. Chip implants and RFID in clothing

will help identify the location of security targets, especially

in dangerous areas or territories. It may also help track

individuals through their journey, such as travellers who

may need assistance. Travel providers will be able to

track passenger location and movements when they are

approaching the airport, navigating the airport (and may

require guidance) and boarding the aircraft.

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�8 Traveller Tribes

Additional Technology Innovations

In the next few years

Social computing. Increasing peer communication online and

affiliate marketing will lead to consumers purchasing travel in

different ways. This could range from accumulating demand

for flights to securing discounts for group travel due to shared

interests or culture. Issues that build with group momentum

such as awareness of environmental concerns and carbon

emission offsetting will also emerge.

Travellers with common interests will also be able to

collaborate on their first impressions of destinations and

potentially use online tools to identify fellow ‘traveller’

communities.

Carbon emissions monitoring technologies. Development of

trading policies where travellers and travel service providers

can trade emissions. For example, travel providers can pay

energy providers to offset their levels of CO2, or each traveller

can maintain accounts of how much they are polluting.

Additionally, the consolidation of airline companies will also

reduce the risk of ‘sky saturation’.

In the long term

Sensing technologies. Equipment that can ‘sniff out’ molecules

may be used in the short-term to detect dangerous materials

in baggage during security checks – such technology is already

available. However, as scientific understanding of people and

the world around them advances, sensing technologies may

be used to identify a variety of situations, from security issues

such as the presence of biological threats, to the presence of

people bearing pathogens, or even a rise in stress levels, which

may trigger precautionary action and provide travellers with

increased peace of mind.

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These tribes have been chosen from a wealth of future traveller tribes because trends indicate that they will be significant travellers in the future and also because they will present different opportunities and challenges to travel providers.

The different needs of each tribe mean that the technological solutions which will deliver exceptional service to each at all stages of the journey, from booking to arrival, will vary.

Potential technological innovations are therefore described within the context of the most relevant tribe, although many will have broader relevance.

6 The Four Traveller TribesThe following sections describe

four future traveller tribes

Active Seniors �0-7� years in �0�0

(born �9��-�970)

Global Clans Cosmopolitan Commuters Global Executives

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�0 Traveller Tribes

Active Seniors

As global populations age, there will be more healthy and active retired people (aged approximately 50-75 years), with more disposable income, taking holidays and short breaks to relax and enjoy life and the freedom of retirement.

Active Seniors50-75 years in 2020 (born 1945-1970)

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Active Seniors

Key needs – price, comfort and health.

Active Seniors will have a number of specific travel needs driven

by their economic circumstances and the particular physical needs

associated with ageing.

With finite funds available, Active Seniors are likely to be price

sensitive but they will wish to balance these needs against a desire

for comfort. Although most will travel predominantly economy class,

some may upgrade for special holidays or for longer journeys.

As people age, their physical needs change, giving the older traveller

a unique set of challenges which travel providers can address to

enhance the travel experience. Mobility issues increase making

longer journeys less comfortable, from distances travelled on foot at

the airport, to time spent immobile on a plane.

The acuity of senses (particularly vision and hearing) declines with

age, making reading / navigation harder, impacting travellers from

point of research to airport navigation.

Advances in scientific and medical understanding coupled with

a lifetime’s experience will result in Active Seniors who have a

sophisticated understanding of their personal health needs. Many

older Active Seniors will be managing long term ailments. This

increased understanding of healthcare may drive up appreciation of

and expectations about the healthcare that travel providers are able

to provide.

As the global population ages there will be an unprecedented number of older people travelling.

Advances in diet and medicine mean that men and women are living

longer and are healthier and more active than previous generations.

Many will also be wealthier. Released from the constraints of work,

affluent retirees and part-time workers will make the most of the

wealth they have accrued and the freedom of retirement by taking

holidays.

Active Seniors in the next 15 to 20 years time will generally be more

youthful and adventurous than previous generations, having spent

their formative late teen/early adult years during the 1960s, 70s and

early 80s. However, the 50-75 age range encompasses a number

of cohorts and their attitudes (including those towards technology

and travel) will be diverse and vary widely across different ages and

cultures.

Senior travellers will hail from affluent regions with ageing

populations including most developed countries (although rising

retirement ages may impede this trend in some countries). Many

will be seasoned and vocal consumers of products and services,

who will have travelled extensively in their younger days. These

people are likely to seek holidays with a specific focus, for example,

travelling to see friends and relatives abroad, wellbeing/medical

tourism, learning/cultural holidays and ethical voyages. With many

more people in this broad age bracket single through relationship

breakdown and bereavement, there is likely to be a surge in the

number of shared interest and singles holidays catering to this

affluent group.

By 2020, many more senior travellers may be from the emerging

BRIC markets (Brazil, Russia, India and China) as their middle classes

grow more affluent. China in particular may see a surge in outbound

departures as travel restrictions are relaxed.

Active Seniors will have time to travel and may do so frequently,

depending on their level of affluence. Released from the daily grind

of working life, they will have time to research their journeys, often

doing so online (or offline depending on region) and planning well

in advance to take advantage of good deals. However, making last

minute travel plans and bookings will also be common for a group

with a great deal of time flexibility.

Evidence:

By 2020 the world population of elderly people is expected to

have trebled, with an estimated 700 million people aged 65+

years – more than 20% of the populations in France, Germany

and Japan will be over 65�0.

Forecasts predict that GDP in Eastern Europe will increase

by nearly 2 and half times between 2005 and 2015 to

US$ 4,494bn, whilst GDP is set to more than double in the

Asia Pacific region over the same period��.

A UK survey carried out by research agency NOP for the over

50s service provider Saga in 2004 found that two thirds of the

1000 over-50s questioned said they would travel the world

and 1 in 10 would consider a trip to Antarctica��.

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Active Seniors

Short to medium term

BOOKING STAGE:

Customised travel itinerary. Personalised itineraries, allowing

travellers to have more control over their travel experience. For

example, enabling them to book a seat with more legroom

for the long-haul part of their journey and a standard seat

for short-haul transfers to save money. Or to pre-purchase

reading material or in-flight entertainment that helps them

experience their destination in advance of arriving.

Dynamic visualisation. Using virtual reality and other high

quality visual imagery to allow travellers to sample the travel

experience. As comfort is a key issue to older travellers, they

can also be provided with dynamic imagery of seats before

booking so they can choose the location and size that is right

for them.

CHECK-IN STAGE:

RFID baggage tracking. RFID technology facilitates bag

tracking in the airport itself and throughout the journey,

reducing the need for less physically active travellers to

struggle with their luggage.

SECURITY AND DEPARTURE LOUNGE EXPERIENCE:

Health sensing technologies. Wearable in-flight sensing

technologies to monitor certain aspects of health or wellbeing

such as heart rates or anxiety levels. In response, elements of

the internal environment are altered to reduce stress points or

respond to specific health needs.

Personalised healthcare services. Identify passengers with

specific health needs before they board the aircraft and (in

conjunction with travel insurance), allow passengers’ medical

records or prescription details to be available to a designated

doctor or medical practitioner (who can speak their language)

at their destination.

Relevant technology innovations

Long term

BOOKING STAGE:

Digital memories management: storage and indexing

technology will allow them to recall/show what they did and

experienced in the past, giving them the choice to repeat past

experiences fully.

IN-FLIGHT STAGE:

Seating re-configuration. Reconfiguration of in-flight

seating arrangements according to the mobility and space

requirements of passengers, based on an assessment of

passengers as they board the aircraft.

SECURITY AND DEPARTURE LOUNGE EXPERIENCE:

Airport navigation. Access to dedicated waiting areas

following digital identification.

Personalised healthcare services. ‘Medi-centres’ at airports

providing access to tailored health care and medication based

on biometric information in ‘Chip and Go’ passports.

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Active Seniors

Pen portraitXiangmei Ansheng is a 55 year old retired schoolteacher living in

Guangzhou, Guandong Province. She is married to Zu, aged 58, a

semi retired senior manager for The China National Offshore Oil

Company. Qiam, their 25 year old son, is a manager for the Radisson

Hotel Group in Shanghai. Xiangmei and Zu want their retirement

to be a new chapter in their lives, a time for adventure and freedom,

and to make the most of new opportunities that didn’t exist before.

They remain largely in good health although Zu has a few problems

related to diabetes that need to be watched carefully.

Xiangmei and her husband moved into a large privately owned

gated apartment community 3 years ago, surrounded by lots of

their friends. Travel plans offer status and have become one of the

most popular topics they discuss. Xiangmei jokes, ‘we used to sit

and talk about the kids, now we talk about the best tour operators’.

With China’s economy booming, their disposable incomes have been

growing and ‘playing abroad’ has become very fashionable – there

even seems to be some competition among Xiangmei and her

friends about who can travel the most!

Xiangmei and her family have been travelling on the mainland since

the 1990s, but as her son Qiam, grew older and the laws changed, it

became easier to travel further afield, and Xiangmei and her family

have now been to Hong Kong, Macao, Thailand and Malaysia. With

more money to spend on leisure and Zu’s increasing flexibility at

work, seeing the world is becoming possible. The couple are going

on a 15 day organised group tour to Eastern Europe for the 27th

Olympic Games in Warsaw. Zu made their reservations online and

their booking reference number was sent to Zu’s mobile PDA.

The couple will travel with other Chinese people and a Chinese

speaking guide as Xiangmei feels reassured when things are

planned and organised for them, particularly when they are so

far from home. Whilst she doesn’t want to be herded around

from event to event, barely stopping for breath, she and Zu feel

that their security and rights are more protected travelling with a

Chinese group. If something goes wrong it can be sorted out by the

organisers and if Zu is taken ill there are Chinese people around to

sort things out.

The airport experience has become much easier for older travellers.

They will receive SMS boarding alerts and will use handheld

navigation devices that are programmed with their itineraries to

help them get to the right place at the right time. They won’t have

to worry about their baggage either, it will be picked up from their

apartment the day before they fly by courier service – the RFID

tagging system means that their bags will arrive at their hotel

before they do!

They are booked to fly premium economy in the peace and quiet

of a ‘child free zone’, and intend to enjoy the European history

documentary and ‘Insiders Guide to Warsaw 2020’ podcast they

have already chosen and downloaded from the airline’s ‘Discover

Your Destination’ website. Zu feels comfortable travelling with his

diabetes because the airline is fully aware of his condition, and since

giving his food preferences the first time he booked, he now receives

food that allows him to manage his health and also his energy

levels during the flight. Qiam was happy as the airline’s GPS tracking

website let him check that his parents had been through each

airport according to their itinerary – reassuring for both him and

his parents. As their confidence grows both Xiangmei and Zu look

forward to doing more travelling abroad as a couple in the future.

Traveller profile

Name: Xiangmei Ansheng

Age: 55

Nationality: Chinese

Occupation: Retired school

teacher, married to Zu Ansheng, a

semi-retired senior manager for

an Oil Company

Main purpose for travel: With the huge popularity of foreign

travel Xiangmei is keen to explore new and exciting

destinations and keep up with the travel experiences of her

friends now that she and her husband have the time and

money to do so.

Past travel experience: Mostly travel on the mainland and to

surrounding countries such as Thailand and Malaysia. As more

destinations become viable, Xinagmai and her husband would

like to venture further afield.

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Global Clans Global Clans

With the global growth in migration, increasing numbers of people are travelling internationally, either alone or in family groups to visit family and friends for holidays which enable them to be together and re-connect.

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Traveller Tribes ��

Global Clans

Key needs – price, group travel.

Price sensitivity is key to Global Clans. Many will be less affluent

and their focus for travel is family reunion rather than ‘a holiday

experience’ which may make some more likely to compromise

comfort for cost savings than other holidaymakers. They are likely

to travel in economy class and many may be willing to travel at non-

peak times including night time to gain cost-savings. As travel will

largely be at key dates, bookings will be made in advance although

unexpected family issues will mean the need for last minute travel

plans for which individuals may be less price-sensitive.

Global Clans may be more focused on groups than other tribes,

perhaps wishing to book and travel together. Different group

members will have different needs, for example, the needs of young

children, grandparents and even great grandparents may have to be

catered for.

The growth in global migration will create a future where unprecedented numbers of families are scattered across different countries and continents.

As more people migrate in search of better prospects and lifestyles,

more people then ever before will be travelling to reconnect with

family and friends abroad.

Global Clans will be most strongly associated with regions with

large immigrant populations. According to 2005 data from the

United Nations, key immigrant destinations currently are Northern

America (the US and Canada), Europe and Oceania (New Zealand

and Australia), with most travelling from Asia, Latin America/

Caribbean and Africa.

As Global Clans embed within their host countries, their attitudes

and behaviours may change, with second generations showing

hybrid lifestyle aspirations and cultural attitudes reflecting both the

country of parental origin and the new homeland. However, links

between families show potential to remain strong as international

communication via the internet and mobile technologies becomes

cheaper and more accessible.

For Global Clans, travel is likely to coincide with key dates such as

national holidays and festivals when family and friends traditionally

get together. These may be booked well in advance, with flights

purchased for families travelling together in groups, or travelling

independently to arrive at their common holiday destination. This

group may also have to travel to respond to unpredictable family

issues such as visiting an ailing parent.

Groups will be making plans and booking with their extended family

so significant opportunities exist for travel providers to facilitate this

communication and connection process. Travel will be increasingly

booked online (or offline depending on region) as the accessibility of

technology improves, and there is an opportunity for travel providers

to facilitate the group travel process.

Evidence:

There are currently 191 million people living outside the

country of their birth��.

Over the last 25 years the number of international migrants

has doubled. The UN expects that international migration will

grow to 250 million by 2050��.

The largest Japanese immigrant population can be found in

Brazil��.

The Pew Internet and American Life project (2006) found

that the internet expands people’s social networks and

even encourages people to talk by phone or meet others in

person��.

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Global Clans

Short to medium term

BOOKING STAGE:

Web-based group forums. Travel providers could offer online

forums, facilitating group communication about travel plans

e.g. co-ordinating transfers to and from the airport with other

groups travelling at the same time. This would also facilitate

group discount bookings that allow people travelling from

different places to gain discounts together plus multiple seat

booking allowing them to sit together.

Cross regional booking. Allowing family members in one

region to book travel on behalf of friends or family, e.g.

allowing an immigrant worker to book flights for their parents

and siblings in their home country for a visit during the holiday

season.

Accessible and secure payment and booking. Developing

innovative payment solutions that would eliminate some of

the security risks associated with booking by credit card in

certain regions or using cash, e.g. with the use of electronic

travel vouchers.

Booking booths and new distribution channels . ‘Booking

booths’ and vending machines in convenient locations such

as supermarkets or music stores, allowing customers to

book journeys easily, with details emailed or sent to mobile

communications devices. Additional facilities might include

the ability to cash-in air miles for an upgrade.

CHECK-IN STAGE:

Additional cargo/luggage services. Allowing those with

special luggage requirements, i.e. those taking large volumes

of luggage home, to book their luggage on mini-cargo planes

in advance.

Airport navigation. Touch screen kiosks that operate in a

number of languages providing location information and

guidance through the airport.

Relevant technology innovations

Long term

BOOKING STAGE:

Natural shopping of travel. Travel will be bought and sold as a

commodity. Integrated technologies will allow travel sellers to

push their offer to the immigrant’s doorstep e.g. at their ethnic

stores or through their national associations.

CHECK – IN STAGE:

Airport navigation. The application of advanced language

technologies will allow natural voiced requests, in local

languages instead of touch screens.

SECURITY AND DEPARTURE LOUNGE EXPERIENCE:

Optimising security. Improved co-ordination of information

between airlines and immigration authorities reflected

through use of fast track ‘chip and go’ passports – a credit

card sized ID containing personal biometric details and travel

itinerary, Visa status and a combined PNR chip will speed up

security clearance.

IN-FLIGHT STAGE:

Tailored/personalised in-flight service. Special services for

flights booked at extreme hours (e.g. around relaxation).

Pre-selection of in-flight films based on an understanding of

passenger preferences, suggest which films they might enjoy

before they book them.

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Traveller Tribes �7

Global Clans

Traveller profile

Name: Esther Geronimo

Age: 26

Nationality: Mexican

Occupation: Visual merchandiser

for Leohman’s department store

in Los Angeles

Main purpose for travel: To reconnect with close and

extended family in her home town of Puebla, Mexico once or

twice a year – although in the future Esther is hoping to break

with tradition and spend some of her vacation time exploring

other destinations, such as Europe.

Past travel experience: As money has always been tight,

Esther has rarely been able to travel widely, though she hopes

this will change in the future. As well as exploring Europe,

Esther would love to spend more time travelling around

Mexico.

Pen portraitEsther Geronimo is 26 years old and works as a visual merchandiser

for Leohman’s department Store in West Los Angeles. Esther was

born in Puebla, Mexico, where her parents still live. She came to Los

Angeles when she was 17 to stay with her oldest brother, and has

loved every minute. She has now been settled there for nine years

and speaks fluent English. She sees herself as a Mexican living in

America but when she goes back to Puebla she realises how much

she has changed! She is much more sophisticated and what she

wants out of life has definitely been influenced by her time in the US.

Esther is one of six children, three of whom now live in the US.

Her parents no longer work, and they are not in the best of health.

Her older sister Maria lives in Puebla and takes care of her parents.

Her oldest brother married his American girlfriend and now lives in

LA with their one year old son and seven year old daughter.

Family is very important to Esther - being part of an extended

family gives her a secure sense of identity and she is very proud of

her roots. She likes to stay connected to her family in America and

back home and is always in contact with one or other of them by

videomail and Skype. Her aunt lives three blocks away and like many

of her parent’s generation, is very keen that the children understand

their roots and maintain a strong link with their Mexican heritage

- she worries that Esther and her own children don’t live by the

Mexican traditions as strongly as they should do.

Although Esther’s wages are quite low, she and her family in the

States make a huge effort to travel once or twice a year. To get the

best deals they buy far in advance and meet other Mexican families

on a Hispanic travel forum set up by LCC airlines to bulk buy and

make cheap group reservations on flights back to Mexico. Travelling

in the middle of the night means they can afford to go home more

often. They can also coordinate airport transfers with other families

travelling at the same time. Her aunt had been reluctant to travel by

air in the past, but since airlines launched their ‘travel visualisation

experience’, she can download virtual reality simulations of the

whole travel process, from check-in to airport navigation, security

clearance and in-flight experience. She now feels much more

familiar and secure with the travel process and looks forward to it

now!

This August, five of them will be flying from LA, including her

brother and his wife, a further six extended family members from

San Antonio and three from Chicago. The FIFA World Cup took place

in Mexico City in 2019, so they are hoping to make a trip to the new

stadium when they visit home, as the whole family is soccer mad.

The group don’t have to stay together at the airport - everyone can

check in online on the Geronimos’s videoblog hosted by the airline.

Their airline sends an SMS to each mobile when boarding is about to

begin, so Esther can take her niece and nephew to explore and not

worry about missing the flight! Their airline also allows them to pre-

order books and games via Amazon to keep the children entertained

– these are waiting for them as they board the aircraft.

Esther gets a promotion and a pay rise next year and is considering

breaking with the group tradition and going to Europe with her

boyfriend Francisco. Her American friends spend little of their

precious holiday time with their families and she is envious of how

widely they travel. She’d like to plan her own trip to Europe but is not

sure how this will go down with the family. She would love to see

the huge department store displays in Paris, Barcelona and London.

Esther also wants to see more of Mexico.

Page 30: Traveller tribes

�8 Traveller Tribes

Cosmopolitan Commuters Cosmopolitan Commuters

Growing numbers of people are living and working in different regions, taking advantage of falling travel costs and flexible work styles to give them greater quality of life.

Page 31: Traveller tribes

Traveller Tribes �9

Cosmopolitan Commuters

Key needs – time efficiency, flexibility.

Time squeezed Cosmopolitan Commuters will not wish to waste

unnecessary time travelling. Hence, the convenience of travel hub

location, the ease of booking and the speed of check-in and security

will influence their choice of travel providers significantly.

Cosmopolitan Commuters will need to be able to work on the go.

Access to technology both during travel and at departure lounges

will be vital for this group.

As business meetings will change, booking and ticket flexibility will

be an important need for travel providers to consider, particularly for

this frequently travelling group.

Down-time will be an important need for travel providers to cater

to, as commuters return stressed from business meetings or want to

wind down for the weekend.

International commuters living and working in different regions to give themselves a better quality of life or better career prospects.

Motivated by the promise of an improved quality of life, a growing

number of people will be taking advantage of flexible working

arrangements and the relatively low cost of travel to live and work in

different regions, for example, living in Nice, France, and working in

London, UK.

This lifestyle choice will see them living in areas where they believe

they will have a higher quality of life, for example in regions where

the cost of living is lower than their place of earning so that their

salary goes further; where the lifestyle better fits their priorities

such as having more living space in less urban areas, or where the

quality of life for their children is better.

They will commute short-haul distances to work on a weekly or

fortnightly basis, depending on their work commitments. This

may comprise internal commuting e.g. within the US and China,

or internationally, such as intra-European routes from France to

Germany.

Executives, freelance consultants or employees with flexible work

contracts predominantly in their 20s, 30s and 40s will be most

likely to make this lifestyle choice. Many will be knowledge workers

empowered by cheap, fast communications technologies which

allow them to work remotely.

Other Cosmopolitan Commuters will be driven by a desire to

progress in the workplace and will take advantage of the rising

numbers of short-term international placements offered by their

employers in order to grow their experience and market knowledge.

These may be commuting abroad to work and returning home to

their country of origin.

This pattern of commuting is somewhat dependent on lower travel

costs (although the quality of life afforded by living abroad may

make price sensitivity more elastic and corporate expats may be less

concerned with costs). However, it is likely to be impacted by rising

efforts to reduce carbon emissions. This may influence the frequency

of travel, driving Cosmopolitan Commuters to commute fortnightly

rather than weekly, or forcing them to vary their mode of transport

(e.g. using high-speed trains) at different times.

Cosmopolitan Commuters will travel at peak times during the week.

Travel is likely to be frequent and block booked in advance for cost

saving, although for unexpected business meetings, bookings will

be last minute and less price-sensitive.

Evidence:

The growth in international commuting will be facilitated

by a decline in fixed hour jobs: A survey for the European

Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working

Conditions in 2006 found that flexible working time

arrangements exist in about one in two (48%) establishments

with 10 or more employees in Europe�7.

63% of interviewees in a European survey, reported at

www.personnelzone.com, predict an increase in international

commuting, where employees work in one overseas location

and commute to another�8.

Research from the Recruitment Confidence Index found

that 42% of respondents say they have increased their

international recruitment over the past five years, nearly

one in five (18%) say the number of staff leaving to work

abroad has also increased over the past five years, and 20%

of firms say it is important or very important that their senior

managers spend time overseas�9.

Page 32: Traveller tribes

�0 Traveller Tribes

Cosmopolitan Commuters

Short to medium term

BOOKING STAGE:

Real time ticket price information. Supplied via reservations

technologies built into the calendar functions of handheld

devices highlighting the most cost effective, convenient travel

arrangements for different times/dates and across a variety

of forms of transport including rail and air travel, car hire and

taxis. Real-time, online comparison of ticket prices for the

same route at the same time allows passengers to select the

best deal.

Bundling services and up-selling. Enabling the purchase of

customised packages, for example the purchase of frequent

flight ‘coupons’ in bulk, or a menu based system allowing

access to the business lounge - even if booked on an economy

flight.

Web-based digital history - personal & travel records. Travellers will be able to input their preferences, in addition

to storing their travel records. In the future, this will allow

their needs to be recognised at the booking stage, leading to

the proactive provision of added services. For example, ‘city

link-ups’ for time-constrained passengers and personalised

information on events, activities and locations at destination

that would be of particular interest to this tribe.

Environmental awareness. Airlines could offer passengers

the opportunity to offset the carbon emissions of their flight,

perhaps by paying a little extra on their ticket price. Rewards

could be offered for passengers who regularly offset their

emissions, such as upgrades. The environmental impact of

different routes and aircraft could be indicated by a ‘traffic

light’ system.

CHECK-IN STAGE:

Flexible journey management. Allowing those who arrive at

the airport ahead of time for their scheduled flight to easily

board an earlier plane following the ‘forward flow’ concept

will streamline the travel experience for this time-sensitive

traveller.

Relevant technology innovations

Long term

CHECK-IN STAGE:

Self-service kiosks. New Generation self-service kiosks may

be linked to digital identity, allowing check-in and itinerary

changes.

Combined ‘chip-and-go’ passport and multiple PNR devices. Allowing passengers to move through airports quickly using

swipe “master security cards” to speed up security checks.

Additional services. For example a ‘dating’ or professional

networking facility or destination specific information that can

be uploaded in-flight onto iPods or as podcasts.

Optimising security. It may be possible to save passengers

time by informing them in advance of how much time they

should allocate to security checks or by giving a personal time

slot for security clearance (and reminding them by messaging

their handheld devices), in order to streamline their travel

experience as far as possible.

IN-FLIGHT STAGE:

24/7 connections. Offering access to a range of

communications technology such as VoIP, mobile phones, the

internet and integrated laptops on-board will enable people to

continue working during travel. Services may be extended via

alliances which allow time constrained passengers to shop in

flight, for example, buying groceries and have their shopping

available for pick-up or delivery on landing.

Page 33: Traveller tribes

Traveller Tribes ��

Cosmopolitan Commuters

Traveller profile

Name: David Murray

Age: 32

Nationality: British

Occupation: Art & Design

Director at a London design

agency

Main purpose for travel: David lives in Prague with his wife

and young daughter and commutes every other week to

London for work.

Past travel experience: As David was born in Australia, he has

travelled extensively both long and short haul in the past.

Now that he spends so much of his time commuting he likes

to avoid too much travel in his spare time.

Pen portraitDavid Murray, 32, is a British born, well-travelled art and design

director, who grew up in Australia and has lived in London for several

years. He now lives with his Czech wife, Lucia and their one year

old daughter Zuza in a family-friendly yet hip area of Prague. David

works for a London design agency. They settled in Prague because

property is cheaper, their standard of living is better and they can

be near Lucia’s family who help take care of Zuza when Lucia works

part time. The family are very aware of managing their carbon

footprint, and live in an eco-friendly house. They don’t have a car but

are members of the local hydrogen-powered car-sharing pool which

they use for local use. To travel further afield, they use the high

speed rail network, which has improved hugely in the past decade.

Like many of his friends, David negotiated with his employer to

commute between Prague and London. He currently works one

week in Prague and one in the UK, as his schedule allows. He

takes an H-Taxi to Ruzyne airport at 6am on a Monday morning

to catch an 8am flight, and is at his desk in London by 10am. Last

year, David and three other friends bought a small shared flat in

London. They have a webpage where they book nights in the flat and

coordinate their social lives together.

David has to be very organised. He has a reservations software

package on his PDA that highlights the most cost effective and

convenient travel arrangements for the dates he needs to travel

across all forms of transport including air, rail and taxis. He likes to

buy blocks of air tickets in advance because it is so much cheaper.

His work schedule can occasionally be unpredictable, and he often

has to fly last minute to a meeting at his company’s office in Paris.

This makes booking flexibility essential, but his home page allows

him to re-schedule flights easily, and although these flights can cost

a bit more, rescheduling is quick and free.

David is very aware of the environmental impact of regular short

haul flights. When possible, he books amber or green flights

using the traffic light system introduced in 2013 to indicate the

environmental impact of each aircraft or route. The design agency

he works for declared itself ‘carbon neutral’ in 2015 and since then,

the company has offset the emissions of its sixty employees.

It’s much easier to get through airports than it used to be, which is

great as David hates wasting time travelling. Since his airline introduced security clearance time slots in 2013, queuing has almost

disappeared. The process is particularly fast with Chip and Pin

passports, and he feels safer knowing everyone has biometric data

on their card. If he does get through early, as a frequent flyer, David

can pay for instant access to the business lounge where he can enjoy

15 minutes in the light and oxygen bar before being sent a reminder

prompting him to get to the gate on time. David would find

commuting much harder if technology was not available on board

his LCC flight. He doesn’t need to carry a laptop as even LCC’s offer

them in-flight, so he uses his travel time to check his emails and

chat to Lucia using VoIP before she leaves for work. David and Lucia

take week-end breaks alone or with friends in the Czech Republic

and neighbouring countries, generally preferring to take one of the

cheap, fast bullet trains. They take one long haul flight every year

in the summer to see David’s family in Australia. They fly economy,

but choose carriers that have higher levels of service such as ease of

transfer, on board entertainment and a quiet room to get Zuza to

sleep.

Page 34: Traveller tribes

�� Traveller Tribes

Global ExecutivesGlobal Executives

Senior executives making short and long-haul journeys abroad on business, travelling in premium or business class.

Page 35: Traveller tribes

Traveller Tribes ��

Global Executives

Key needs – time efficiency, flexibility.

Global Executives will be used to premium, luxury experiences and

will have high expectations: travel providers must be able to offer a

highly personalised service that caters to Global Executives’ needs

including pre-empting them.

Global Executives’ time is precious – they will want to do what

they want, when they want, including working and relaxing. For

that reason, a highly streamlined and time efficient journey – at all

stages - is essential.

The need to have access to a wide range of technology is vital, both

in-flight and at airport departure lounges.

As business meetings will change, ticket flexibility will be important.

Flights will be booked via a PA keen to offer Global Executives a

seamless experience.

Travel providers must also cater to Global Executives’ relaxation

and down time needs – again, focusing on creating a personalised

experience with tailored premium services.

The growth in senior executives of companies with international interests travelling in premium or business class and by air-taxi or private jet.

The number of high value business travellers seeking a premium

experience will increase as globalisation drives up international

trade. Global Executives will be senior executives who will

either travel alone, with an entourage, or with a partner, perhaps

combining a business and leisure trip.

Global Executives currently typically originate from developed

markets around the globe, but by 2020, growing numbers from the

BRIC countries with rapidly expanding economies and business links

will be in evidence.

Although they may travel premium or business class for some trips,

Global Executives will increasingly favour the more exclusive, time-

efficient, bespoke travel service allowed by private jet and air-taxis.

These premium travellers’ main purpose for travel will be

international business meetings and events although leisure

may also be integrated into travel, perhaps by taking a partner, or

extending their stay to catch up with friends or colleagues.

Global Executives will not be price sensitive and they will not

manage their own travel booking. Trips will be a combination of

long-haul (for international business) and short-haul (for domestic

business).

Evidence:

According to the latest Barclaycard Business Travel Survey

2005/06 nearly half (45%) of business travellers say they are

or were travelling for business more in 2005/06 than they

were in 2004/05. The main reason given for the increase in

business travel was business expansion overseas (33%). The

survey also reveals that an increase in global business travel

will boost the use of premium services: By 2015, the number

of business travellers using business class services will rise

from 17% in 2005/06 to approximately 33% in 2015, driven

by the demand for improved service and better working

conditions�0.

The number of people taking seven or more long-haul flights

per year has been predicted to increase from 6% in 1997 to

14% in 2015��.

With long haul travel increasing, the number of flights taken

per business traveller is predicted to increase by 12% from 7.6

flights per year in 2005/6 to 8.5 flights in 2015��.

Page 36: Traveller tribes

�� Traveller Tribes

Global Executives

Short to medium term

BOOKING STAGE:

Superior flexibility. Providing last-minute multi-channel

booking, re-booking and/or cancellations on the go.

Accessible web-based digital history- personal travel records. Allowing the pre-emption and pre-identification of needs

based on their travel history and passenger profile even

if they do not fly frequently on the given carrier. This will

ensure consistency of service received regardless of the travel

providers that they use.

Personalised premium journey packages. Driven by the

predicted growth in demand for private jets, tailored packages

for Global Executives could be constructed (in alliance with

private jet operators). For example, a Global Executive may

be willing to fly business from Mumbai to Paris, but charter a

private jet for their transfer between Paris and London.

CHECK-IN STAGE:

Information en route. Travel providers supplying podcasts that

can be downloaded en route to travel hubs such as airports,

providing up-to-date information on road construction, check-

in status, etc.

Flexible journey management. Global Executives who arrive

at the airport ahead of time for their scheduled flight will be

allowed to easily board an earlier plane, following the ‘forward

flow’ concept to streamline the travel experience.

Fast track lane. A cross-function check-in and security counters

with integrated information will save time and hassle at the

airports.

Optimising efficiency at security. For Global Executives, all

checks and baggage issues may be handled at one desk

‘simultaneously’, perhaps with the use of the integrated PNR

device. Alternatively baggage security screening and collection

would be arranged at their private residence before departure.

Personalised welcome. GPS technologies may advise staff at

departure lounges of a Global Executive’s imminent arrival.

Relevant technology innovations

Long term

BOOKING STAGE:

Advanced pricing models. Whilst pricing is potentially less of

an issue for these premium travellers, jet operators could allow

the scheduling of flights to provide certain cost reductions

if passengers are able to be more flexible with timings. E.g.

providing a 30% reduction on ticket prices if Global Executives

are willing to group-share flights to the same destination at

certain times.

CHECK-IN STAGE:

Wearable technologies. Chip implants and RFID in clothing

will help identify the location of security targets, especially in

danger – prone areas/territories.

IN-FLIGHT STAGE:

24/7 connections. Offering access to a range of

communications technologies such as VoIP, mobile phones, the

internet and integrated laptops on-board will enable people to

continue working during travel.

Networking. In-flight time would provide the perfect

opportunity for business travellers (particularly those of higher

status) to network with others. Information or electronic

business cards could be circulated allowing passengers to

identify potential networking opportunities on their flight.

Page 37: Traveller tribes

Traveller Tribes ��

Global Executives

Traveller profile

Name: Rajesh Parikh

Age: 42

Nationality: Indian

Occupation: Joint Managing

Director of Aruk Autos, a scooter

manufacturer and exporter

Main purpose for travel: Rajesh travels extensively for work,

and always in First or Premium Class. He also ties in family

visits with business travel, especially for weddings, religious

festivals such a Diwali and other celebrations.

Past travel experience: Rajesh has travelled widely in the past

and with his status he has very high travel expectations –

including personalised services.

Pen portraitRajesh Parikh is 42. He is married to Vina and they live in

Mumbai with their 3 children, aged 11, 8 and 5 years. He is the

joint managing director of Aruk Autos, one of the world’s largest

manufacturers and exporter of scooters, motorcycles and three-

wheelers.

In 2004, Aruk Autos opened their showroom in Dubai. ‘The clear-

cut advantages of Dubai in general and the Jebel Ali Free Zone in

particular, in terms of a vibrant business environment and a highly

efficient infrastructure support system led us to our choice’. Their

success, even in the context of India’s huge GDP growth, means that

Aruk Auto’s travel needs are extensive. Rajesh often travels back

and forth to Dubai, and he visits the manufacturing plants in India

on a frequent basis. He also attends key business meetings in Asia,

Europe and Africa.

All of Rajesh’s travel is organised by his PA through a travel agent,

Vimla, who is also Indian and a family friend. She specialises

in business, leisure and spiritual travel for the Indian business

community. Since his favourite airline formed an alliance with

Shooting Star Private Jet operators, Rajesh flies First or Business

Class from Mumbai to Abu Dhabi and gets a private jet for his

internal flights within The Emirates. On the way to the airport, his

driver downloads up-to-date traffic information to his PDA from

travel provider websites which enable him to plan a best route to

the airport. During their journey, their location is tracked by GPS and

sent directly to the Premium Business Lounge so they know he is on

his way. They will have his favourite vegetarian food waiting for him,

and will automatically schedule his slot in the fast track Premium

traveller security check.

Rajesh’s time is precious to him, and when travelling in Business or

First, he likes to combine work with leisure. The in-flight technology

is now so advanced that he can easily take part in video conferences

with colleagues in Europe, Africa or Asia in flight. His PA also pre-

selects the e-business cards provided on the airline website of some

of the passengers travelling on the same private jet as Rajesh who

look likely to be useful business contacts. They are seated near each

other and can enjoy some time networking. Rajesh likes to relax

too: he is a devout follower of Dada Jeyshen, an Indian guru, so he

likes to take some spiritual time out in the meditation lounge. His

in-flight entertainment (films, books, magazines) were selected by

Vimla in advance and were waiting for him at his seat, along with a

glass of his favourite, freshly-squeezed herbal energising juice.

He likes the fact that his airline treats him like a VIP – if he has

to travel at the last minute they recognise that he is a high value

customer and always make room for him on the flight he chooses.

His personal travel page hosted by the airline also allows his PA to

update his travel preferences and needs so his airline can continue

to meet and pre-empt them when he travels, ensuring the highest

level of personalised service.

Rajesh and his family are prolific travellers, for business and leisure.

Rajesh has always travelled extensively for business, and to visit

family abroad. He ties business trips into family visits, especially for

weddings, religious festivals like Diwali and other celebrations. Vina

and the children often travel separately to visit Vina’s relatives in the

USA and UK. They fly business or premium economy, accompanied

by a maid who flies in the same class. They use the school holidays

for extended trips to visit family abroad, where Rajesh will join them

as business permits.

Page 38: Traveller tribes

�� Traveller Tribes

The intention of Traveller Tribes 2020 is to start a dialogue within the

travel industry about the future needs of its customers. One thing

is clear - the demand for travel services will continue to increase

against a background of dramatically changing geo-political and

social conditions.

It is also clear that technology has a major role to play in bridging

the gap between travel providers and consumers. The need for the

humanisation of travel technology is a major theme to emerge from

this report. This means technology which is developed to support

people when they are travelling in a way which enables high degrees

of personalisation and exceptional customer service.

We put forward Traveller Tribes 2020 as a means of helping us all

focus on the complex challenges facing the travel industry through

the eyes of the people who will use our services. People, who

whether they will be making journeys for business reasons; to enjoy

family reunions; or just to have the trip of a lifetime all want to be

treated like individuals.

We greatly encourage feedback from the industry, from around the

world.

http://www.amadeus.com/travellertribes

7 Conclusion

Page 39: Traveller tribes

Traveller Tribes �7

8 Appendices

Page 40: Traveller tribes

�8 Traveller Tribes

United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs/ Population Division, Population Prospects, The 2004 Revision, http://www.un.org/esa/population/publications/WPP2004/2004Highlights_finalrevised.pdf

National Intelligence Council, Mapping The Global Future, Report of the National Intelligence Council’s 2020 Project (2006), http://www.dni.gov/nic/NIC_globaltrend2020_es.html

The Tomorrow Project, ‘International Migration’, 4th October 2006, http://www.tomorrowproject.net/pub/1__GLIMPSES/Globalisation/-175.html

World Tourism Organisation, Tourism 2020 Vision, November 2001, http://www.world-tourism.org/market_research/facts/market_trends.htm

China Daily Online, ‘Dissecting China’s middle stratum’, 27th October 2004, http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/english/doc/2004-10/27/content_386060.htm

Mintel Press Release, ‘World’s leading outbound markets’, March 2006, http://www.mintel.com/press_release.php?id=204554

Mintel, The World’s Leading Outbound Markets, January 2006, http://www.mintel.com/docs/trade_abta_world.htm

‘The Airbus A380’, http://www.airliners.net/info/stats.main?id=29

‘The Airbus A380’, http://www.airliners.net/info/stats.main?id=29

‘Air taxi boosters take their case to lawmakers’, 21st July 2006, http://www.generalaviationnews.com/editorial/articledetail.lasso?-token.key=13185&-token.src=index&-nothing

‘Air taxis: Radical model ready for its test’, October 16th 2006, http://www.ft.com/home/uk

International Air Transport Association, IATA

International Air Transport Association, IATA

Virgin Galactic and Blue Origin (founded by Amazon.com’s CEO, Jeff Bezoz) to launch commercial space flights, see Virgin Galactic, http://www.virgingalactic.com and ‘Rockey Man’, Issue 13.01, www.wired.com

‘Virgin Galactic Unveils SpaceShipTwo Interior Concept’, 28th September 2006, www.space.com

HM Treasury, Stern Review on the Economics of Climate Change, 30th October 2006, http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/Independent_Reviews/stern_review_economics_climate_change/sternreview_index.cfm

Hewett, C. and J. Foley, ‘Plane Trading - policies for reducing the climate change effects of international aviation’, Institute for Public Policy Research, August 2000, http://www.aef.org.uk/downloads/IPPR_Plane_Trading_Summary.pdf

Henley Centre HeadlightVision, HenleyWorld 2006

Henley Centre HeadlightVision, HenleyWorld 2006

Energy Information Administration, International Energy Outlook 2006, http://www.eia.doe.gov/oiaf/ieo/world.html

Energy Information Administration, International Energy Outlook 2006, http://www.eia.doe.gov/oiaf/ieo/world.html

Energy Information Administration, International Energy Outlook 2006, http://www.eia.doe.gov/oiaf/ieo/world.html

�.

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HenleyCentreHeadlightVision, HenleyWorld 2006

London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine Centre for Ageing, http://www.lshtm.ac.uk/ncdeu/centreforageing/

United Nations Demographic Indicators 1950-2050 (1998 Revision)

Henley Centre HeadlightVision, HenleyWorld 2006

Henley Centre HeadlightVision, HenleyWorld 2006

The Hindu Business Line, ‘CII initiative to promote health tourism in Kerala’, 7th March 2006, http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2006/03/07/stories/2006030702271900.htm

Henley Centre HeadlightVision, HenleyWorld 2006

London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine Centre for Ageing, http://www.lshtm.ac.uk/ncdeu/centreforageing/

Consensus Forecasts Global Outlook 2005-2015, October 2005

SAGA Press Release ‘Over 50’s Swap Slippers for Safari’, 9th August 2004, http://www.saga.co.uk/corporate/press_releases/press_release.asp?id=1336

United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs/ Population Division, International Migration 2006, http://www.un.org/esa/population/publications/2006Migration_Chart/Migration2006.pdf

The Tomorrow Project, ‘International Migration’, 4th October 2006, http://www.tomorrowproject.net/pub/1__GLIMPSES/Globalisation/-175.html

Ashbrook Centre for Public Affairs, Japan and Brazil: A Case Study in Global Interdependence, July 1998, http://www.ashbrook.org/publicat/respub/v8n2/ellis.html

Pew Internet and American Life Project, The Strength of Internet Ties, 25th January 2006, http://www.pewinternet.org/pdfs/PIP_Internet_ties.pdf

European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions, Working time and work-life balance in European companies 2005, http://eurofound.europa.eu/areas/worklifebalance/eswtfindings.htm

Personnel Zone Direct, November 2002 Issue ‘Study sees shift from long-term expatriation for global managers to more ‘mobile’ executives’, www.personnelzone.com/Gulf/WebWatch.nsf/ArticleListHTML/B4A17CF93FB4E79480256E300042A884

Cranfield University School of Management, The Recruitment Confidence Index, Press release ‘Globetrotters Make It To The Top’, 12th May 2005, http://www.som.cranfield.ac.uk/som/rci/press.asp?page_id=87

The Barclaycard Business Travel Survey 2005/06, http://www.barclaycardbusiness.co.uk/docs/tibs/tibs2005_06_survey.pdf

The Barclaycard Business Travel Survey 2005/06, http://www.barclaycardbusiness.co.uk/docs/tibs/tibs2005_06_survey.pdf

The Barclaycard Business Travel Survey 2005/06, http://www.barclaycardbusiness.co.uk/docs/tibs/tibs2005_06_survey.pdf

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Page 41: Traveller tribes

Traveller Tribes �9

The tribes were developed as follows:

Desk research was conducted to gather information about travellers now

and projections into the future.

This information was synthesised into a matrix showing future travel

occasions (comprising basic demographic details of traveller, with whom

they would travel with, for what reason and key flight details: long/short

haul, domestic/international, economy/premium) for both leisure and

business travel.

This matrix enabled the identification of a number of key travel occasions

that are predicted to grow into the future.

For leisure, these are:

Gap year / career breaks. Younger people are undertaking medium

term (6-12 months) independent international travel for relaxation,

adventure and to broaden their experience. Often low budget, and

typically covering a number of countries, it may include paid or

voluntary work overseas.

Lone leisure holidays. With the growth in numbers of people staying /

becoming single, a rise in numbers of individuals taking short holidays

alone can be expected.

Retiree holidays. As the global populations ages, there will be a rise in

healthy and active retired people taking holidays and short breaks, both

domestically and abroad, to enjoy life and the freedom of retirement.

Visits to family & friends. With rising global migration, increasing

numbers of people are travelling internationally, either alone or in

family groups to visit family and friends for holidays which enable them

to be together and re-connect.

New family holiday. The traditional family structure is in decline – many

households now comprise ‘alternative’ and extended families. This may

drive a rise in new family structures of people holidaying together.

Couples holidays. With a trend in many countries towards

postponement of children, there will be a rise in couples travelling

together on short weekend breaks or longer holidays.

Adult group holidays. Groups of adults taking holidays together; friends

wishing to share time and an experience, or adults with a common

leisure or lifestyle interest.

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

Full list of tribes

For business travel, a number of variables were taken into account. These

included different levels of seniority, frequency, long/short haul travel, class

travelled, domestic/ international, alone/with others, business/business and

leisure.

Although a range of tribes could be identified using these variables, key

tribes identified were:

Value-seeking business travellers,

International commuters (a subset of 1),

Premium VIPs (Global Executives).

The four key traveller types were chosen by evaluating all against criteria

including:

> Impact of future demographic change,

> Most distinctive demographically,

> Profitability for the travel industry,

> Potential to be most interesting when considering technology innovations

which fulfill their needs.

1.

2.

3.

Page 42: Traveller tribes

Future Traveller TribesReport for the Travel IndustryDeveloped by Henley Centre HeadlightVision in partnership with Amadeus

For more information:[email protected]/travellertribes

Future Traveller Tribes

2020